Granit Xhaka’s Sunderland stance resurfaces amid Chelsea ‘to pursue’ claims | OneFootball

Granit Xhaka’s recent remarks on his Sunderland future have resurfaced after fresh links to Chelsea. Fabrizio Romano claimed the captain could be a surprise midfield target, while Florian Plettenberg reported a full verbal agreement on personal terms and contact between the clubs.

Sunderland Echo understands the Black Cats would not welcome offers at this stage and that Xhaka is considered not for sale. He is under contract until 2028 after joining from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

Xhaka has been central to Régis Le Bris’ side, wearing the armband and helping deliver an unexpected Europa League qualification. “To be honest, I’m not surprised. If you work hard day in and day out, you can achieve a lot.”

The midfielder was speaking earlier this month while away with Switzerland, in an interview with Blick.

“It’s a bit like home for me. The city feels like Basel. You can only perform at your best when you feel comfortable in a place.”

“For me, the most important thing is that my family is happy. And we are in Sunderland. I’m not even thinking about a transfer. I’m really happy to finally have a summer without any speculation about my future. This allows me to fully focus on the World Cup.”

Source: Sunderland Echo